Authentic Sacrifice
When it comes to sacrifice, I believe most of us are willing to yield to its demands. Maybe it’s forgoing a meal for a day or two or watching less tv in the evening. Maybe it’s cutting a personal budget item that we can afford but don’t necessarily need. For the most part, I’m convinced most Christians would be willing to sacrifice some aspect of our lifestyle in the name of religious action.
What Mark records in chapter 10 and verse twenty-one and twenty-two captures my attention each time I read it. "Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions."
Jesus tells a young zealous rich man how he must be saved, by selling his possessions to the poor. I believe that sometimes, we are the zealous rich man, eager to give something of no cost to us. We’re always ready to sacrifice that which has a low probability of causing us to suffer. The young rich man ran to the Lord and offered a sacrifice but was grieved to hear His voice. God’s voice led the young man to true obedience and away from selective sacrifice.
Jesus desired more for the man than to assist in checking off all his to-dos for salvation. He desired that the young man inherit true life and experience authentic sacrifice. Today, more than ever, we must wrestle with this story, that obedience to God’s voice will lead us to true suffering.
In fact, Paul desires to experience this in Philippians three verse ten, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." Paul desires to share in the same sufferings of our Lord and know Him in an intimate way. Maybe intimacy is found in suffering. Maybe true relationship and sacrifice involve more than going to church and deciding what sacrifice fits our schedule. Maybe we should run to the Lord without our history of self-righteousness and ask Him to lead us to true righteousness. Instead of walking away sad and sorrowful like the young man, we’ll walk with him together to the cross.
JOURNAL: What is God asking you to sacrifice today? How is He speaking to you through this series?
What Mark records in chapter 10 and verse twenty-one and twenty-two captures my attention each time I read it. "Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions."
Jesus tells a young zealous rich man how he must be saved, by selling his possessions to the poor. I believe that sometimes, we are the zealous rich man, eager to give something of no cost to us. We’re always ready to sacrifice that which has a low probability of causing us to suffer. The young rich man ran to the Lord and offered a sacrifice but was grieved to hear His voice. God’s voice led the young man to true obedience and away from selective sacrifice.
Jesus desired more for the man than to assist in checking off all his to-dos for salvation. He desired that the young man inherit true life and experience authentic sacrifice. Today, more than ever, we must wrestle with this story, that obedience to God’s voice will lead us to true suffering.
In fact, Paul desires to experience this in Philippians three verse ten, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." Paul desires to share in the same sufferings of our Lord and know Him in an intimate way. Maybe intimacy is found in suffering. Maybe true relationship and sacrifice involve more than going to church and deciding what sacrifice fits our schedule. Maybe we should run to the Lord without our history of self-righteousness and ask Him to lead us to true righteousness. Instead of walking away sad and sorrowful like the young man, we’ll walk with him together to the cross.
JOURNAL: What is God asking you to sacrifice today? How is He speaking to you through this series?
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